Pierre Wynants was, until recently, the Belgian chef at the Brussels restaurant ‘Comme Chez Soi’, which had three Michelin stars at that time. Wynants’s cuisine is generally considered to be the best in Belgium. Wynants started working in the Savoy restaurant in Brussels at the age of 16 and stayed there until 1958, when he was drafted into the army. He then went on to learn the trade with various Parisian chefs. He returned to Belgium in 1961 as the personal chef to the then Prince Albert (now King Albert II of Belgium) for one month. He then started at Comme Chez Soi. In 1979, he gained Comme Chez Soi its third star. Wynants is retired now, and his son-in-law has taken over the restaurant.

www.commechezsoi.be

The atypical owners of the ‘Magis’ restaurant, Dimitry and Aagje, seem to be, with their diplomas in marketing and economic sciences, destined to have careers in business. Their vocation as certified wine experts and connoisseurs, however, led them straight to the top of the catering industry. Dimitry and Aagje explored three-star restaurants both at home and abroad for a period of three years. Dimitry then took on the role of chef, his wife that of hostess. The quality of the meals and the drinks are lauded in numerous reviews both in professional journals as well as in the popular press. With acclaims in the Michelin and the Gault-Millau, their future is wide open.

www.restaurantmagis.be

Barista Peter Hernou is the professional devoted to brewing espressos and similar drinks like cappuccino. He is the chef in the kitchen, a technical master of the espresso machine and a specialist in ‘Latte Art’. In his Latte Art, Peter uses a special technique to serve the foamed milk in the espresso’s creamy layer. Seemingly simple moves to serve the foam reveal the most beautiful and diverse motifs. Peter Hernou is the three-time Belgian and World Latte Art Champion.

www.artinacup.com

Laurent Gerbaud, a Brussels chocolatier, has been combining chocolate, fruit and spices for 7 years. During an extended stay in China, he discovered the rich realm of Asian flavours and smells and began to coat delicious kumquats (small candied oranges) with dark chocolate: an unexpected delicacy. Back in Belgium, he passionately continues to create tasty combinations: ‘I do only what I like. When I am developing products, my only guide is my personal taste’. The ingredients that compose each of his creations are all selected from among the best in their league, and each delicacy is hand-made: ‘The chocolate and every ingredient we use are noble and precious: their character can be preserved only through a hand-made treatment.’ Laurent himself created the gift box for the Cable Congress Party.

www.chocolatsgerbaud.be

Born in Ieper (Belgium) on 4 March 1957, Edouard’s training as an interior decorator (St. Luc Brussels) served as his initiation to experiment with volumes and materials. After three years working as a decorator, he discovered his love for fashion and began presenting his own collection in 1984.

For years now, Edouard Vermeulen has created fashionable pieces for the Belgian royal family as well as for the royal courts of Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark and the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg, for which he was honoured in March 2003 with the insignia of Officer of the Order of King Leopold II. His creations also appeal to performance artists and many jet set personalities.

Edouard Vermeulen has created a personal style of contemporary purity, a source of femininity and refinement. The richness of the materials lends purity to the simplicity of the forms. A style resolutely suited for an active and refined woman of today.

www.natan.be

Stijn Helsen is the scion of a tailor’s family. His grandfather founded a couturier’s business in 1939 in Borgloon. His father moved to Hasselt, where Stijn continues to carry on the family tradition. The familial character of the Helsen company is proven by the fact that two brothers and one sister are currently working in the company. Stijn was enthralled with fashion from early childhood. He followed a tailoring training course in Liège. The Hasselt native continued his studies at the famous fashion school L’Instituto Marangoni in Milan.

Upon completing his studies, the couturier got the chance to work with Vivienne Westwood in London. A while later, top designers like Valentino in Rome and Joseph in London were knocking on his door. Stijn was also the costume designer for the films Seabiscuit and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Tobey Maguire’s €10,000 red and blue Spiderman costume, made of the extremely elastic material milliskin, was also of Stijn’s making. The couturier has also designed custom-made suits for Robbie Williams, Hugh Grant, Matt Dillon and Madonna's husband Guy Ritchie.

www.stijnhelsen.be

Belgian fashion creator Kaat Tilley doesn’t follow the general trends dictated by the fashion industry. She carves out her own world. Her views do not adhere to trends rather they reflect more of a life story by mirroring a woman’s journey and the lessons learned through living life.

Kaat Tilley drives esthetics to the extreme, sculpting female shapes, mixing colors, materials and layers. Her world balances between female fragility and strenght. There is a sensual capacity to her clothes that makes you feel unique, not just on your wedding day, but every day, not just when you are Diana Ross, Melany Griffith or Halle Berry, but everybody.

www.kaattilley.com

Buscemi is Belgian DJ Dirk Swartenbroekx’s alter-ego. His style can be described as dance music with a hint of the Hispanic, including lounge, house, jazz, Brazilian grooves, afrobeat, and drum and bass.

Buscemi not only presents his music on CD, he also plays live sets, backed by his band..

Buscemi and Lady Cath will be recording his newest single ‘Dipso Calypso’, from his album ‘In Situ’, for the Cable Congress Party.

www.buscemi.be